


Darkness Approaches

by mydeira, Sadbhyl



Series: Responsible Adults (aka, The Menageaverse) [78]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-11
Updated: 2013-04-11
Packaged: 2017-12-08 04:35:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/757109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mydeira/pseuds/mydeira, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadbhyl/pseuds/Sadbhyl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ethan does some reverse-psychology.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Darkness Approaches

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published September 8, 2005
> 
> Spoilers through “Bring On The Night”. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to write a nice, quick piece. I think [](http://sadbhyl.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://sadbhyl.livejournal.com/)**sadbhyl** and I have changed roles. Her chapters are getting longer and mine are tending toward shorter. Interesting, huh?

“I-I can’t do this,” Willow said weakly, looking at the ingredients she’d gathered as if she had never seen them before.

With considerable effort, Ethan managed to keep his mouth shut and his face unreadable. His patience was wearing very thin with Willow’s insecurity, understandable though it was. It seemed that any headway the girl had made over the summer with the Coven disappeared the moment she returned to Sunnydale.

“Sweetie,” Tara said soothingly, “you’ve done this dozens of times before. And more than once with your eyes closed. It’ll be fine.”

Willow shook her head, growing paler and swallowing with some difficulty. “It’s going to go wrong. I kn-know it is.”

Tara looked at him, pleading.

“You’ve done locator spells before, Tara. Why can’t you do this? O-or Ethan?” Willow glanced up at him hopefully.

Since her return a little less than a month earlier, Willow had done hardly any magic. She had kept up with her meditation regime, but aside from that, Tara reported that even the simplest spells made her incredibly nervous. If she managed to make it through the spell at all, the results were substandard at best. Her confidence had been shattered that spring. And with the amount of power Willow possessed, that was an extremely dangerous combination. The meditation would only keep her balanced for so long. She needed to put her stores into some active use. But she kept shying away from opportunities, often convincing Tara to do the work for her, and a few times Ethan as well. Above all, it made her incredibly vulnerable to the foe they were facing. Abundant, untapped energy. If she didn’t start using it soon, Something would start using her. And that they couldn’t afford.

“No, Tara, Willow’s absolutely right, if she doesn’t feel she’s ready, then she’s not ready,” he said coolly, meeting Tara’s gaze for a brief second and then focusing on Willow. “Now’s not the time for shoddy spell work.”

Willow’s cheeks flushed to matched her hair. “Sh-shoddy?”

“You’re fortunate Rupert’s out of the country,” he said, ignoring the sharp stab of emptiness his lover’s name elicited. It had been more than a day since he and Joyce had seen the bombed out Council on the television, and still no word. “He’d be less than pleased to see that sizeable scorch mark in the center of his Oriental rug. His grandmother’s, you know.”

“That was an accident,” she protested, a hint of anger creeping into her voice. “How was I supposed to know the wormwood had gone stale?”

“We can’t afford another mishap, Willow. It’s best you sit this one out.” He pushed himself away from the island and made as if to grab the bowl away from her.

She gripped the bowl tightly, pulling it closer. “Buffy asked me to do this.” There was a strength in her voice that had been missing for too long.

He was careful to bite back the smirk that rose at her show of spirit. “She’ll understand. Now don’t be a child, Willow. We don’t have time for it. Give me the ingredients.”

“No,” she said, looking wounded. “Like Tara said, I’ve done this dozens of times before. It won’t be a problem.”

And with that, she turned and stormed out of the kitchen.

“Thank you,” Tara mouthed, before following her girlfriend.

By the time he joined the others in the dining room, Willow was well into the working, a look of grim determination on her face. Perhaps this was the push she needed.

Xander and the Slayer were in deep conversation in the foyer, while Dawn sat at the other end of the table searching idly on her laptop as Joyce looked over her shoulder curiously. Ethan made his way over to an unoccupied corner, flashing Tara a sympathetic smile where she stood with Anya. Noticing that he had joined them, Joyce came over to stand next to him.

“Willow has ‘resolve face.’ What did you say to her?” she asked, interested.

“Just told her she didn’t have to do the spell if she didn’t want to,” he replied, wrapping an arm loosely around Joyce’s waist to draw her close. “I don’t think she cared much for my playing into her self-pity. When we were working together, I never did that. If she said she couldn’t something, I made her do it anyway.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Joyce said with a light laugh that didn’t sound all that natural. He wished more than anything Rupert would call to let them know he was still alive. It would be one less thing to worry about.

Not that he got the chance to worry long. A shock wave erupted from the bowl in front of Willow, knocking Tara and Anya back against the buffet. Dawn gave a shriek, jumping back from the table as the bowl started to glow a fiery red. The light rose from the bowl, surrounding Willow before invading her.

And suddenly it was last spring all over again. All color left Willow completely, eyes and hair taking on the black jet of all-consuming dark power. She sought him out, a cold sneer spreading on her face.

“Children fumbling in the darkness. You only make me stronger.” Her voice had grown deep and icy. “Playtime’s over, sorcerer.”

Ethan’s blood ran cold. But before he could explore why exactly, Xander had grabbed the bowl and shattered it against the far wall, breaking the spell and causing Willow to drop bonelessly to the ground.

For the first time in his life, Ethan Rayne was well and truly frightened.  



End file.
